Soot blower



March 8, 1938. N. L; SNOW ET AL 500T BLOWER 2 Sheets-sheaf 1 Original Filed Dec. 2'7, 1932 S. a R R Q m W Nu? win m 9 0 N ..L..B T. 0 Z J ILP: A 1 M J 4 mwnwww 1 J 1 M M mwH F I M Y B Murch 8, 1938. N. L. SNOW ET AL SOOT BLOWER Original Filed Dec. 27, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 will! a a: l/ 12'. 8 I rd c 2 :17, 1,. #55 ii" Fran E owers MIA/an Patented Mar. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE soo'r BLOWER.

Application December 2'7, 1932, Serial No. 649,107 Renewed November 22, 1937 11 Claims.

This invention relates to a fluid heater cleaner of the character in which a blower element is adapted to discharge cleaning fluid adjacent parts of the fluid heater to be cleaned.

One of the primary objects of this invention is to provide a cleaner of the above mentioned character'whichwill include a movable blower element and to provide an improved means for effecting the desired movement of the blower element.

The. invention further contemplates the provision of power driven means for effecting an oscillation or like movement of a blower element to the end that the cleaning fluid discharged from the blower element will be properly directed adjacent the portions of the fluidheater to be cleaned.

Numerous other objects and advantages of this invention will become'more apparent as the following description proceeds, particularly when reference is had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View partly in section of 1a fluid heater cleaner constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a semi-diagrammatic View partly in section and partly in elevation showing details of the blower element actuatingmeans;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the motor forming a part of the structure shown in Fig. 2.

Referring then particularly to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout all views, the numeral Ill designates the wall of a fluid heater which, it is to be understood, may be an air heater, boiler or any similar apparatus. Mounted in an opening I l in this wall is a wall box 12 through which a blower element 13' extends. The blower element is adapted to be supplied with cleaning fluid in a manner which will be later described and is provided with nozzles for discharging this cleaning fluid adjacent the portions of the fluid heater to be cleaned, one of the nozzles being illustrated in Fig. l of the drawings and being designated by the reference character 14.

Exteriorly of the fluid heater the blower element is journaled in a cleaning fluid supply pipe 185. This supply pipe will be connected to any suitable source of cleaning fluid which may be air under pressure, steam, or'any other desired fluid or substance. It is a feature of the invention that the blower element may be oscillated and means are provided for automatically terminating the oscillation of the blower element after a predetermined desired oscillation thereof.

For oscillating the blower element there is directly secured to the same the rotor of a fluid motor designated generally by the. reference char acter 8!. The rotor is disposed centrally of a housing 82 providing an annular chamber 83 between the rotor and the inner surface of the housing. A vane or projection 84 secured to the rotor spans the annular chamber 83 and wipes the inner surface of the housing as the rotor is oscillated.

Closing the space between the rotor and the housing at one side of the rotor is a plate or member 85 which may conveniently be formed on the inner wall of the housing as illustrated. Tapped into the housing to communicate with the chamber 83 on opposite sides of member 85 are conduits 86 and 8! whereby fluid under pressure may be admitted to the annular chamber to act on opposite sides of the vane 84. Restricted orifices are preferably formed in the conduits 86 and 81 for a purpose which will hereinafter be more fully described.

The conduits 86 and 81 are tapped into chambers and 9|, respectively, these chambers containing a liquid which is utilized to act on the vane 84 to drive the rotor 8!]. By utilizing a liquid as the propelling force for the rotor, the orifices 88 may be conveniently utilized for retarding and regulating the speed of movement of the rotor as desired.

To cause the liquid in chambers 90 and 9| to be supplied to the chamber 83, provision is made to admit fluid under pressure to the upper ends of the chambers 90and 9|. The means for accomplishing this comprises a valve housing 92 providing a chamber 93 into which conduits 94 and 95 are tapped, the conduits communicating with the upper ends of cylinders 90 and 9|, respectively. Exhaust conduits 96 and 91 are also tapped into the chamber 93, these exhaust conduits leading to any suitable point of exhaust (not shown).

Disposed within chamber 93 are spaced pistons 98, these pistons being mounted on a rod 99 which projects through the ends of valve casing 82 and which is secured to a yoke I00. This yoke is mounted for reciprocation in suitable guide bearings I!!! and is provided with a lug or projection I82 adapted to be periodically engaged by an arm I 83 suitably fixed for rotation with the rotor 80.

The numeral I05 designates the cleaning fluid supply pipe, and tapped into this conduit is a conduit I06 which extends into the valve casing 92 and communicates with the chamber 93 substantially centrally thereof. A valve l 01 disposed in the conduit I96 controls the flow of fluid under pressure from the supply pipe I05 to the chamber 93.

Communicating with the conduit I06 beyond the valve I01 therein is a conduit I08 which communicates with the lower end of a cylinder I09. Disposed in this cylinder is a piston H0, and connected to this piston is the stem III of a valve H2 which controls the flow of cleaning fluid through the supply pipe I05 to the blower element I3. A spring I I4 acts on the upper face of piston H to normally hold the valve H2 closed. It will be noted that the conduit I06 is tapped into the supply pipe in advance of valve H2 so that whenever valve I01 is opened, fluid under pressure will be supplied to the valve chamber 93 and to the cylinder I09.

The valve I01 is normally heldclo'sed by a spring H5 which surrounds the stem H6 of this valve and engages a collar II1 on this stem. For moving valve I01 to open position against the force exerted by spring H5, there is provided a cam H9 fixed to a shaft I I9 for rotation with the same. Also fixed to shaft H9 for rotation with the cam H8 is a ratchet wheel I20 having ratchet teeth I2I adapted to be engaged by a pawl I22 pivotally connected to one end of the yoke I00. It will thus be apparent that a reciprocation of the yoke I00 will effect a step by step rotative movement of the ratchet wheel I20 and thus of the cam II8. Rotatably journaled on shaft H9 is a sheave wheel I2", and pivotally secured to this sheave wheel is a pawl I26 adapted to engage in an enlarged recess or tooth I21 formed in the periphery of the ratchet wheel I20. A chain or like flexible element is trained around the sheave Wheel I25 and has depending ends I28 and I29 by which the sheave wheel may be rotated. The depending end I29 of the chain passes through a suitable stationary guide I30 against which a collar I3I fixed to the end I29 of the chain is adapted to abut to limit movement of the flexible chain in one direction.

In operation, it will be understood that when the blower element is not operating, the cam I I8 will be so positioned rotatively with reference to valve stem I I6 that valve I01 will be closed. With valve I01 closed, no fluid under pressure will be admitted to chamber 93, and valve H2 which controls the admission of cleaning fluid to the blower element, will be closed by spring H4 acting on piston I I0.

To initiate the operation of the blower element, the end I29 of the flexible actuating element will be pulled downwardly to rotate sheave wheel I25 in a clockwise direction. This rotation of the sheave wheel will be continued until the pawl I26 engages in the notch I21 of the ratchet wheel I20, it being understood that during this clockwise rotation of the sheave wheel, the ratchet wheel will remain stationary. As soon as the pawl I26 engages in the notch I21, the end I28 of the flexible element may then be pulled to rotate the sheave wheel in a counter-clockwise direction. By virtue of the engagement of pawl I26 in notch I21, the ratchet wheel will rotate with the sheave wheel during this counter-clockwise rotation of the latter. The counter-clockwise rotation of the sheave wheel is continued until the collar I3I engages the stop I30.

The counter-clockwise rotation of the sheave wheel and ratchet wheel causes the cam H8 to be rotated to a position where it engages valve stem H6 and opens valve I01. Opening of this valve admits fluid under pressure to the valve chamber 93 and to conduit I08, the fluid under pressure in this latter conduit entering cylinder I09 beneath piston H0. This forces the piston upwardly against the force exerted by spring I I4, thus opening valve H2 and admitting cleaning fluid under pressure to the blower element I3.

Admission of fluid under pressure to chamber 93 provides for the supplying of fluid under pressure to the top of one or the other of the chambers 90 and SI, depending upon the positions of pistons 98. In the position of the parts shown, chamber 90 is connected to the exhaust conduit 96 by way of conduit 94 and a portion of chamber 93, while fluid under pressure is admitted to chamber 9I by Way of its conduit 95 which communicates with the portion of the chamber 93 to which the fluid under pressure is being supplied. Fluid under pressure acting on the top of the liquid in chamber 9I will force the liquid from this chamber through conduit 81, causing the liquid to act on vane 84, thus rotating the rotor in a clockwise direction.

Just before the rotor has rotated sufficiently to bring the vane thereon into contact with member 85, arm I03 will engage lug I02 to shift the yoke I00 and the pistons 98 to the left. This shifting of the pistons will cause fluid under pressure to be supplied to chamber 90 and Will connect chamber 9i to the exhaust so that the rotor will then be rotated in a counter-clockwise direction. As previously mentioned, the orifices 88 provide a convenient means for controlling the speed of oscillation of the rotor 80.

Each time the yoke is reciprocated, the pawl I22 which it carries will ratchet the wheel I20 in a counter-clockwise direction. It will be obvious that after a predetermined movement of the ratchet wheel in this direction, the cam H8 will be moved out of engagement with the stem H6 of the valve I01, thus permitting this valve to close and thus terminating the operation of the fluid motor 8I and cutting off the supply of cleaning fluid to the blower element.

It will be apparent that the extent of travel which must be imparted to the cam to move the same out of engagement with the valve stem H6 will determine the number of oscillatory movements which will be imparted to the blower element before valve I01 is closed. Thus, by properly positioning the cam. H8 with reference to ratchet wheel I20 and by properly locating collar I 3I on the flexible actuating chain, a desired initial rotative positioning of the cam upon actuation of the actuating chain may be effected. Obviously,- the initial positioning of the cam will predetermine the extent of movement of the cam necessary to move the same out of engagement with the valve stem to thus allow a closing of the valve I01.

From the above it will be apparent that the invention provides a fluid heater cleaner which includes a blower element mounted for oscillation and which includes improved power driven means for effecting an oscillation of the blower element. In the embodiment of the invention which is illustrated, the oscillation of the blower element may be initiated, and means is provided for automatically terminating the operation of the blower element after the same has been operated through a predetermined number of cycles.

While the invention has been described with some detail, it is to be understood that the description is for the purposes of illustration only and is not definitive of the limits of the inventive idea. The right is reserved to make such changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts as will fall within the purview of the attached claims.

What we claim as our invention is:

1. In a fluid heater cleaner, a blower element mounted for oscillation, means connected to said blower element for oscillating the same, and means controlled by said blower element oscillating means for automatically terminating the oscillation of said blower element after a predetermined plural number of cycles of oscillatory movementsthereof, each cycle consisting of a movement away from a starting point and a return movement in a reverse direction to said starting point.

2. In a fluid heater cleaner, a blower element mounted for oscillation, power driven means connected to said blower element for oscillating the same, and means actuated by said power driven means for automatically terminating the oscillation of said blower element after a predetermined plural number of cycles of oscillatory movements thereof, each cycle consisting of a movement away from a starting point and a return movement in a reverse direction to said starting point.

3. In a fluid heater cleaner, a blower element mounted for oscillation, a fluid motor connected to the blower element for oscillating said blower element, means for admitting fluid under pressure to said fluid motor to actuate the same, and means actuated by said fluid motor for cutting oil? the supply of fluid under pressure to said fluid motor after the same has imparted a predetermined plural number of cycles of oscillatory movements to said blower element, each cycle consisting of a movement away from a starting point and a return movement in a reverse direction to said starting point.

4. In a fluid heater cleaner, a movable blower element, means for supplying cleaning fluid to said blower element, means connected to said blower element for moving said blower element through a plurality of cycles of movement, and means actuated by said blower element movin means automatically acting to cut off the supply of cleaning fluid to the blower element and to terminate the actuation of said moving means after a predetermined plural number of cycles of oscillatory movements of the blower element, each cycle consisting of a movement away from a starting point and a return movement in a reverse direction to said starting point.

5. In a fluid heater cleaner, a blower element mounted for oscillation, an oscillatory fluid motor connected to said blower element for oscillating said blower element, a cleaning fluid supply line for said fluid motor, valve means in said supply line for controlling the admission of fluid under pressure to said fluid motor, means for admitting fluid under pressure to said valve means, and means actuated by said valve means for automatically cutting ofi the supply of fluid under pressure to said valve means after a predetermined oscillation of the blower element.

6. In a fluid heater cleaner, a blower element mounted for oscillation, a rotor fixed tosaid blower element and having a vane projecting radially from the same, valve means for causing fluid under pressure to act alternately on opposite sides of said vane to effect an oscillation of said rotor, a second valve for controlling the admission of fluid under pressure to said valve means, means constantly acting to close said second valve, a cam so'constructed. and positioned that when the same is actuated it opens said second valve and holds the same open, and means actuated by saidvalve means for moving said cam to a position where said valve closing means closes said second valve after a predetermined oscillation of said blower element.

7. In a fluid heater cleaner, a blower element mounted for oscillation, a fluid motor connected to said blower element for oscillating said blower element, a double acting reciprocating valve controlling the admission of fluid under pressure to said fluid motor, a second valve for controlling the admission of fluid under pressure to said double acting valve, a cam adapted to open said second valve, means for closingsaid second valve and means actuated by the reciprocation of said double acting valve for moving said cam to a position where said valve closing means closes said second valve after a plural number of recipcatory movements of said reciprocating valve.

8. In a fluid heater cleaner, a blower element mounted for oscillation, means for supplying cleaning fluid to said blower element, a fluid motor operated by the pressure of the cleaning fluid and connected to said element to oscillate the same, means for supplying cleaning fluid to said motor, and means actuated by the fluid motor operable to cut off the supply of cleaning fluid to the said blower element and to the said motor after a predetermined plural number of cycles of oscillatory movements of said blower element,

each cycle consisting of a movement away from a starting point and a return movement in a reverse direction to said starting point.

9. In a fluid heater cleaner, a blower element mounted for oscillation, a fluid motor operated by the pressure of the cleaning fluid and connected to said blower element to oscillate the same, means controlling the supply of cleaning fluid to said blower element and to said fluid motor, and means actuated by said fluid motor and acting on said control means to cut off the supply of cleaning fluid to said blower element and to said fluid motor after a predetermined plural number of cycles of oscillating movements of said blower element, each cycle consisting of a movement away from a starting point and a return movement in a reverse direction to said starting point.

10. In a fluid heater cleaner, a blower element mounted for oscillation, a fluid motor connected to said blower element for oscillating the same, a cleaning fluid supply line for the blower element, a valve in said line for controlling the admission of cleaning fluid to the blower element, means operable to effect an opening of said valve and to admit fluid under pressure to said fluid motor for actuating the latter, means for actuating said last mentioned means to initiate the actuation of said motor and to effect an opening of said cleaning fluid supply valve, and means controlled by said fluid motor for actuating said means which admits fluid under pressure to the motor and which eiTects the actuation of said valve to cause the same to cut off the supply of fluid under pressure to the motor and to effect a closing of the cleaning fluid supply valve after a predetermined plural number of cycles of oscillatory movements of the blower element, each cycle consisting of a movement away from a starting point and a return movement in a reverse direction to said starting point.

11. In a fluid heater cleaner, a blower element mounted for oscillation, a rotor fixed to said blowerelement,".a housingzfor said rotor cooperating with the same to forman annular chamber, a vane on said rotor spanning said chamher, a pair .of liquid containing chambers, connections between said liquid containing chambers and said annular chamber, regulable restrictions in said connections, a supply of fluid under pressure, means. for controlling the admission of fluid under pressure tosaid liquid containing chambers, a valve for controlling the admission of fluid under pressure to said last mentioned means, a cleaning fluid supply line for the blower element, a valve in said supply line controlling the 

